Owner-reported complaints naming the transmission system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1994 Ford Taurus submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 234 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 234, in the owner's own words
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 FORD TAURUS. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, AND THE CONTACT OBSERVED WHILE THE AIR CONDITIONER WAS ACTIVATED WATER LEAKED ONTO THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS A TRANMISSION DEFECT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 FORD TAURUS. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE SUBFRAME ON THE VEHICLE DROPPED. THE CONTACT LOST COMPLETE CONTROL OF THE STEERING. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT AN AUTO SHOP AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE SUBFRAME DROPPED. THE ESTIMATED REPAIR COST WAS $1,000. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 98V323000 (STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS) WAS REFERENCED. THE ENGINE COOLING FAN FAILED TWO MONTHS AGO, AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT. THE REPAIR COST WAS $400. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 97V019000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) WAS REFERENCED. THE CONTACT ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE STRUTS ON HIS VEHICLE. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 943036000 (SUSPENSION:FRONT: SHOCK ABSORBER) WAS REFERENCED. THE REPAIR COST WAS $300. THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REBUILT, AND THE COST FOR THE REPAIR WAS $1,500. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 103,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 FORD TAURUS. AFTER THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN RUNNING FOR A WHILE AND APPROACHES A STOP, IT "DE-CLUTCHES" AND EITHER FAILS TO SHIFT INTO GEAR OR SHIFTS HARD DURING TAKE OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE SPEED WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 96,000.
DT: 1994 FORD TAURUS. THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE AT A COMPLETE STOP, THE VEHICLE FELT AS THOUGH SOMEONE HAD REAR ENDED IT. THE VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD. WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE, THE VEHICLE HESITATED BEFORE IT KICKED INTO GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC, AND WAS DETERMINED IT WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE AUTOMATIC CLUTCH PISTON. THERE WAS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN FOR THIS PROBLEM. WHEN THE CONSUMER CALLED FORD, THEY STATED THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE PROBLEM STARTED AROUND THE MIDDLE OF JULY. THE CONSUMER HAS NOT DRIVEN THE VEHICLE SINCE THEN. IT OCCURRED AT LEAST 12 TIMES. *AK *JB
WHILE SHIFTING,THE VEHICLE THE DRIVER NOTICED THAT THE GEAR WOULD SHIFT ERRATIC WHILE ENGAGING. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED REPLACEMENT. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NM
WHILE SHIFTING AND WHILE DRIVING A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE FRONT. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED REPLACEMENT. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NM
TRANSMISSION HAD BEGIN TO FAIL WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. ALL OF THE SUDDEN ONE DAY I WAS DRIVING WITH MY WIFE AND SON AND CAR BEGAN TO LUNGE BACK AND FORTH. AND AS I HAD GOTTEN THIS LOOKED AT I WAS TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS FAILING FROM A PROFESSIONAL IN HAWAII. I THEN PAID OVER 1 THOUSAND DOLLARS TO GET THE TRANSMISSION FIXED. NOT EVEN A YEAR LATER AND LESS THAN 30,OOO MILES THE TRANSMISSION STARTED TO AT UP AGAIN. CAME BACK TO THE STATES HAD SOMEONE LOOK AT IT AND AGAIN I WAS TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION IS FAILING. THIS IS NOT SUPPOSE TO BE HAPPENING. I WANT TO KNOW WHAT I CAN DO TO GET THIS FIXED. MY WIFE WON'T EVEN DRIVE THE CAR IN FEAR OF LEAVING HER STRANDED. I KNOW THAT FORD WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND I KNOW I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THE PROBLEM ON THIS PARTICULAR CAR.*AK
WHILE DRIVING, THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE READ HOT, THEN THE TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING. THE DRIVER PROCEEDED TO PULL OFF THE ROAD, AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A MECHANIC. DIAGNOSTIC TEST INDICATED A FRONT LEAK SLID ALONG SHIFT AND SLIP. THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REBUILT. *LA
MY TAURUS WAS RUNNING GREAT, NO PROBLEMS AT ALL UNTIL TODAY 7-9-2004. I WENT IN STARTED MY CAR, IT MADE A NOISE, THEN STOPPED THE NOISE. MY TRANSMISSION ENGAGED IN PARK ONLY. ALL OTHER GEARS THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. I PUT IT IN REVERSE, NOTHING, NEUTRAL, FIRST, NOTHING, SECOND, NOTHING DRIVE, NOTHING AND STILL NOTHING. MY CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. MY FLUID LEVEL WAS FINE. NO EVENTS LED UP TO THIS MISHAP AND I AM WONDERING WWHAT TO DO.*AK
1994 FORD TAURUS REVERSE JUST STOPPED WORKING,(SOUNDED LIKE NEUTRAL ). THE CAR STRUGGLED TO GO OVER 25MPH TO GET HOME. WE MADE IT HOME JUST IN TIME FOR THE CAR TO STOP WORKING ALL TOGETHER! NONE OF THE GEARS WORK AND I WILL HAVE TO HAVE IT TOWED TO A REPAIR SURFACE. ONLY 36,000 MILES AND ALREADY A NEW TRANSMISSION!
THE THIRD TRANSMISSION HAS NOW FAILED. THE FIRST TIME SHORTLY AFTER OBTAINING THE CAR NEW. THE SECOND TIME AT AROUND 65,000 MILES (AT THIS JUNCTURE I WAS TOLD BY A RELIABLE SOURCE THAT FORD WAS AWARE OF THIS TRANSMISSION PROBLEM). THE THIRD FAILURE, AUG. 2003, HAS JUST HAPPENED AFTER REPEAT TRIP TO THE DEALER WITH FAILURE OF THE CAR TO MOVE COMPLAINTS, IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS. NOW I'M BEING TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION IS SHOT AND THE MILEAGE WARRANTY IS NOT IN FORCE. THE CAR IS JUST A LITTLE OVER THE 12,000 MILE PERIOD BUT IS WAS NOT WHEN I BEGAN TO HAVE THE PROBLEM CORRECTED. THIS PERSON THAT I CONTINUE TO CONNECT WITH, WHILE CALLING FORD, IS NON RESPONSIVE AND REFUSES TO CONNECT ME WITH A SUPERVISOR. ALL SHE SAY'S IS "WE DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM" AND "I CANNOT SPEAK WITH ANYONE ELSE". I HAVE SPENT OVER $5,000 REPLACING TRANSMISSIONS AND I'M GOING TO GET SOME RESOLUTION. I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY ADVICE IN BRING THIS TO A POSITIVE CONCLUSION. THE INCIDENT DATE BELOW IS WHEN THE FIRST TRANSMISSION FAILED, 3 MONTHS AFTER GETTING THIS CAR NEW.
TRANSMISSION FAILED PREMATURELY. PARTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED FOUR TIMES, BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.*AK
CAR WAS STALLING AT STOP SIGNS AND MAJOR INTERSECTIONS. WHEN TRING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP, CAR WOULD NOT MOVE INITIALLY UNTIL EXTRA GAS WAS APPLIED. THEN IT WOULD LUNGE INTO FIRST GEAR AND THE CAR COULD BE DRIVEN, AT LEAST UNTIL THE NEXT STOP. THE WARMER THE CAR GOT, THE WORSE THE PROBLEM WOULD GET AND MORE IT WOULD STALL. I WAS EXTREMELY CONCERNED ABOUT GETTING REAR ENDED AND STARTED CALLING NUMEROUS TRANSMISSION SHOPS. I THEN FOUND OUT THAT TAURUS TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS ARE A COMMON PROBLEM AND TRANSMISSION SHOPS ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAD BEEN FIXING EARLY AND MID 90'S TAURUS FREQUENTLY OVER THE YEARS. ALSO, FORD NEW OF THE PROBLEM AND WAS THE SOURCE OF THE IMPROVED REPLACEMENT PART. I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT NAME OF THE FAULTY PART, BUT IT MAY HAVE BEEN CALLED AN ALUMINUM CLUTCH CYLINDER. THE COTTMAN TRANSMISSION SHOP GUY NEW WHAT THE PROBLEM SOURCE WAS JUST BY TALKING TO HIM OVER THE PHONE AND HE SHOWED ME THE HAIR LINE CRACK IN THIS THIN ROUND ALUMINUM PART. HE ALSO SHOWED ME THE STEEL REPLACEMENT PART BOUGHT FROM FORD. I ALSO HAD TO PAY OVER $1400 TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION FIXED SINCE THE FAULTY PART CAUSED DAMAGE TO OTHE PARTS. I HAD TO GET THE TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY REBUILT. PRETTY BAD CONSIDERING THIS CAR WAS WELL MAINTAINED AND ONLY HAD ABOUT 60,000 MILE ON IT. DT
NO SUMMARY. DT
TRANSMISSION ERRATIC FORWARD SHIFTING AND LATE. DT
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE MERGING INTO ON COMING TRAFFIC ON THE HIGHWAY, VEHICLE CUT OFF, WITHOUT WARNING. ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. HAD VEHICLE SERVICED, THE TRANSMISSION HAD BLOWN. TS
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND NO WARNING THE VEHICLE WILL STALL AND IT WILL BE HARD FOR THE CONSUMER TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED TS
CONSUMER STATES HAD TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION. CONSUMER IS AWARE OF SERVICE BULLETIN REGARDING PROBLEM WITH AN ALUMINUM PISTON WHICH TENDS TO CRACK AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED WITH A STEEL PISTON. VEHICLE IS NOT UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY. *TT
1. 3.8L V6 HEAD GASKETS. GASKET(S) FAILED ON VEHICLE AT 80878 MILES. ENGINE BLOWS HEAVY ?!@#$% SMOKE FROM TAILPIPE, OVERHEATS AND LOSES COOLANT. VEHICLE IS 8 YRS OLD AND OUT OF EXTENDED FORD WARRANTY PROGRAM, (7YRS 100,000MI). CONTACTED BOTH LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP AND FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE, BOTH SAYING THERE IS NO ASSISTANCE THEY COULD PROVIDE, EVEN THOUGH IT IS A KNOWN DEFECT WITH THE HEAD GASKETS. 2. TRANSMISSION FAILED, AT 79,392MI. WHEN VEHICLE WAS WARM, TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT ENGAGE 1ST GEAR, LEAVING YOU STRANDED WHEREVER YOU STOPPED. CONTACTED LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP, WHO QUOTED $2500 + LABOR. HAD TRANSMISSION REPLACED AT LOCAL TRANSMISSION SHOP FOR $1800. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN CAREFULLY MAINTAINED. ALL MAINTENANCE ITEMS PERFORMED AT MANUFACTURERS RECOMMENDED INTERVALS FOR HEAVY DUTY USE. (EVERY 3000MI) OIL CHANGED EVERY 3,000MI, TRANSMISSION FLUID CHANGED PER MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE, FILTERS, TIRE ROTATION, SPARK PLUGS, EVERYTHING. IF FORD WON'T STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT, WHICH HAS A KNOWN DESIGN / MANUFACTURERS DEFECT. THIS WAS THE LAST FORD PRODUCT I WILL EVER BUY. IT MAY BE ANYWAY. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WITH NO WARNING TRANSMISSION WILL LOCK UP. VEHICLE CAN ONLY GO INTO NEUTRAL. *AK DEALER NOTIFIED.
GRADUALLY WHILE DRIVING OVER A TWO MONTH PERIOD, A PISTON IN TRANSMISSION CRACKED, RESULTING IN SYSTEM NOT ENGAGING AFTER DRIVING AND PARKING FOR TEN MINUTES OR MORE. WHEN DEPRESSING ACCELERATOR, VEHICLE WILL EITHER SLAM INTO GEAR/JERK DRIVER/OCCUPANTS OR WILL SLIP OUT OF GEAR WITH NO WARNING. *AK AFTER THE REPAIRS, CONSUMER WROTE TO THE FORD COMPANY TO ADVISE OF THE FAILURE AND TO REQUEST RELIEF FROM PREMATURE FAILURE. FORD DENIED THE REQUEST. *JG
WHILE COMING DOWN HIGHWAY AT 55 MPH VEHICLE SUDDENLY WENT INTO NEUTRAL. CAUSE UNKNOWN. TOOK VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC, AND THEY STATED TRANSMISSION NEEDED WORK. *AK. CONSUMER STATED THE TRANSMISSION GEAR BOX WOULD NOT SHIFT, THE MECHANIC STATED THE TRANSMISSION PLANETARY FAILED THE TRANSMISSION BOX HAD TO BE REBUILT, ALSO THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED BUT THE MECHANIC COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG.*JB
WITHOUT WARNING TRANSMISSION POPPED OUT OF GEAR AND VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO FORWARD. THIS HAPPENED INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER CONTACTED. *AK
TRANSMISSION POPS OUT OF GEAR WHEN STOPPED INCLUDING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC WHERE THE EVENT COULD POSE A TRAFFIC HAZARD. AFTER BRIEF PERIOD, TRANSMISSIONS POPS BACK INTO GEAR CAUSING VEHICLE TO BOLT FORWARD. DEALER CHARGED $60 TO ADVISE THAT FORWARD CLUTCH PISTON IS "STICKING" AND TRANMISSION NEEDS REPLACEMENT AT $2,700 PLUS. FORD ADVISES THAT THEY WILL NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT. RESEARCH REVEALS THAT THE FORWARD CLUTCH PISTON IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM FOR THAT VINTAGE OF TARUS. FORD USED INFERIOR MATERIALS TO SHAVE A FEW BUCKS AND HAS SINCE CHANGED PRODUCT DUE TO THE HIGH VOLUME OF FAILURES. HOWEVER, THE COMPANY THAT CLAIMED "QUALITY IS NU JOB NUMBER ONE" REFUSES TO ACT IN A RESPONSIBLE FASHION RELATIVE TO THIS DEFECT. GARNET FORD SHOUD HAVE TOLD ME BEFORE CHARGING $60 FOR AN ANALYSIS OF THE TRANSMISSION OR BEFORE REPLACING THE ENGINE MOUNT FOR $400 (APPARENTLY A RELATED PROBLEM) THAT THIS YEAR OF TARUS HAS HAD EXTENSIVE PROBLEMS WITH PREMATURE TRANSMISSION FAILURES. FORD SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF ITS CORPORATE BEHAVIOR RELATIVE TO ITS REFUSAL TO ADDRESS THE MASSIVE NUMBER OF CONSUMER COMPLAINTS OF PREMATURE TRANSMISSION FAILURE ON THIS MODEL.*AK
WHEN THE VEHICLE SPEED SENSOR FAILS, IT CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO DOWNSHIFT AT ANY SPEED REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE SHIFT LEVER SAYS. MY VEHICLE DOWNSHIFTED TO FIRST GEAR WHILE TRAVELING AT OVER 60 MPH. THE FAILURE ALSO CAUSES THE TRANSMISSION TO POP OUT OF GEAR AND SURGE FOR NO APPARENT REASON. WHEN THE VSS FAILS, THE CRUISE CONTROL CEASES TO FUNCTION. I HAVE HAD THIS CAR IN FOR SERVICE 4 TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE REPAIRS LAST ROUGHLY 1 YEAR AND POP UP AGAIN. THIS LAST TIME, THE FORCE WAS SO GREAT THAT IT BROKE THE MOTOR MOUNTS.*AK
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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